Now, the 67-year-old community nurse and midwife from Barcaldine in central Queensland is competing on horses at campdrafts and stockman challenges across Queensland, including the recent Horse of the North event in Charters Towers.

Stephanie attributes her ability to learn horsemanship mainly by DVDs and books to her "sheer determination" and the "school of hard knocks".

"I love the partnership. I love the relationship with my horse."

I actually do a lot of liberty work with him as well, that's without a lead, and he obeys my queues. Circling, turning, backing, side passing, those sort of things, just from my hand and my voice.